Toyota's new MR2 could be developed as a joint-venture with iconic performance brand Lotus, as the Japanese giant looks further afield to make its "three brothers" dream come true.
That's the word from Japanese auto sleuths Best Car Web, who report that Lotus is firming as the production partner for a new MR2, which would join the 86 and Supra in the brand's performance line-up.
The intriguing part, though, is what might be powering a joint-venture model. Lotus has made no bones about its shift to being an all-electric company by the end of this decade, with the Evija to be the first of an entirely new, and entirely electric, range.
If Toyota does partner with Lotus for its new vehicle, then that would suggest the MR2 would be at least partly electric, if not entirely electric, making it potentially Toyota's first full-EV performance vehicle.
These are, of course, just rumours for now. But we do know that Toyota executives have been touting a return of the MR2 nameplate since as far back as 2018, part of the brand's "three brother" strategy that would see the Toyota 86 and Supra joined by a third dedicated performance vehicle.
And that comes from Supra chief engineer Tetsuya Tada, who told Evo in 2019 that the move would mirror the MR2, Celica, Supra line-up of the 1990s.
For now, though, we'll have to wait and see.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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